Apparitions
by BeautyInBlackandGrey
Summary: What would happen if Eragon and Saphira were transported into the world we know? Would they ever be able to get home again?
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

**EPOV**

A crack sounded in the woods off to my left. _Stay here,_ I told Saphira. I padded into the brush, as quietly as snowfall at midnight. I broke through the tree line at the edge of the stream by which we had set down for the night. Looking all around, there was nothing out of the ordinary. I turned to head back, when suddenly a blur in across the bank caught my eye. I jumped to a stone in the middle of the brook. A wet patch of moss made me lose my balance, and I tumbled backward. My head struck a stone, and the world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey you guys! Sorry for the shortness of the prologue, but it was just supposed to be a teaser. All will be explained in time. Other than that I just have a few things to say:**

**First, Thank you so much to all of you that read my story. This is my first fanfic, so it means a lot to me.**

**Second, I do read all reviews even though I may not reply to all of them. I have to work around school and other stuff so I write whenever I get time. All reviews are taken into consideration and I do thank you for taking the time to tell me what you think.**

**Third, I am so sorry that it took me so long to update, but I've been totally slammed with other work. I volunteered at two different hospitals this summer, so I haven't had any time to do anything other than schoolwork**

**Last, just a disclaimer. I don't own the Inheritance Cycle or Eragon and Saphira. I wish I did, but they all belong to the genius that is Christopher Paolini.**

**Happy Reading!**

**Rose POV**

I slowed my horse Shadow to a halt, feeling the wind on my face. I closed my eyes and turned my face to the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the trees. I loved living so close to the mountains. The isolated nature of the ranch suited me. It was just me and my animals: horses, dogs, and whatever wildlife wandered inside the borders of the property.

I tapped Shadow's sides with my heels. "Come on, boy. Ganga."

The regular crunch of leaves under Shadow's hooves lulled me into a state of calm. I zoned out just enjoying the day. Suddenly, a massive explosion shattered the quiet. Shadow reared, lashing out with his front hooves. I fell backwards, landing hard on the ground. Low curses escaped my lips, some from every language I knew. Shadow took off into the woods, fleeing through the trees like rats flee before a scythe. "Shadow!" I called, knowing that it was futile. I soon turned towards the source of the sound, knowing that Shadow would eventually head toward the barn.

The sound had come from the east, so I cut through the woods in that direction, limping only slightly. I could tell I was going to have some bad bruising tomorrow. It was easily half a mile before I came across any signs of anything out of the ordinary. Several trees had been blackened on one side, and the brush had been incinerated, leaving a clear, blackened ring about 20 feet across. I looked up and gasped in shock.

In the center of the ring lay two figures, so fantastic they seemed unreal, almost like apparitions. One, a gorgeous sapphire dragon the size of a house. The other, a man, but like no man I had ever seen. His features were graceful, yet rugged, and almost feline. He was more beautiful than any man I had ever seen.

An interminable amount of time passed as I stood there, entranced by the figures. Suddenly, my mind fired, and I realized that I needed to see if the two were hurt. I padded into the clearing, looking around to make sure there was nothing else that would need my attention. I knelt by the man and gently shook his shoulder.

His eyes snapped open, and he sprang up and backward to get away from me. Faster than the eye could follow, an elegant hand-and-a-half sword was in his hand and pointed at me, still kneeling. "Where am I? What happened? Who are you?" The questions flew at me like buzzing hornets, fast and thick.

"One thing at a time," I said, eyes on the blade. "I'm Rose. You're on my farm in Montana. As for what happened, I have no idea. I was riding my horse when there was this explosion. I came this way to see what it was, and I found you." A fleeting thought danced through my head, as incredible as it was fitting. I eyed the man warily. "Hold up your hands, palm out."

He didn't sheath the sword, but one at a time held up his hands. A silvery mark covered his right palm. My eyes widened. "It can't be," I breathed. "Shadeslayer? Eragon?"

He darted forward, his sword at my throat in the blink of an eye. "How do you know my name?" he questioned, his eyes hard as flint.

I swallowed hard, glancing down at the iridescent blue blade millimeters away from my neck. My eyes flicked back up to his face. "There's a series of books in my world, based on you and Saphira and all your adventures. I never thought they were real though, until now…"

"How do I know I can trust you? You could be lying." Eragon looked at me, and I knew he was trying to read my mind. I opened up all of my memories to him, trying to impress on him that I meant no harm, keeping only the most personal in a tight cage. "I would never harm you. It's just me out here. I don't even go into town. Everything is delivered." He must have found what he was looking for, because he relaxed a fraction, then stood back and sheathed his sword.

"All right. You seem honest enough, though you know the ancient language, which is odd. But I want you to swear that you will never betray me or Saphira."

I sighed. I knew he would ask something like this. Quickly, I spoke the oath that would bind me to them for the rest of my life.

Once my oath was complete, he seemed to fully relax. As he did so, Saphira stretched and yawned, then seemed to remember what had happened, because she sprang up, wings half extended, ready for a fight.

Eragon called to her, "It's all right Saphira. She's a friend."

She slowly stalked over to me. I twisted my hand over my chest in the elven gesture of fealty and bowed. "Atra esterni thelduin ono, Bjartskular. It is a true honor to meet you."

One bright sapphire eye surveyed me. She whuffed at my clothes, seeming pleased with what she found. _Well met indeed, little one. Very strange things have happened today. Perhaps we can untangle this mess with your help._ Her voice sounded in my head, accompanied with strains of haunting, lyrical music and a sense of ancient wisdom. It awed me, and I took a moment to find my voice. When I did it trembled slightly. "I will help in any way that I can, Brightscales."

_Good. And little one? You may call me Saphira._

I bowed low, humbled by her gift. "Thank you…Saphira." Her eyes sparkled in approval, and she hummed low.

I straightened and clapped my hands together. "I'm neglecting you! You two are my guests! Let's head toward the house and I'll get you settled in. I'm afraid you will have to fly, because the trees are too close together to allow you to walk Saphira. Would you permit me to fly with you and show you the way?"

"Of course. You can sit in front of me so that you don't fall," Eragon said, smiling slightly.

Saphira crouched low to make mounting easier for me, and Eragon boosted me into the saddle then swung up behind me. I shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable. Eragon didn't seem to notice. Saphira's muscles bunched beneath us, and she threw herself skyward. Her wings beat hard, fighting the pull of gravity, and she shot through the air like an arrow loosed from a hunter's bow, rising on an updraft of warm air. I looked down to see the forest rushing past at a dizzying pace. A great shout of elation tore from my throat, and Saphira flew in a huge loop, making land and sky reverse before my eyes.

Eragon chuckled at my antics, and I turned and grinned at him. His face lit up with an answering smile that made the whole world seem somehow brighter. It was dazzling, and for a moment it stunned me so much that I couldn't speak. I shook my head to clear it, and turned to Saphira. "Head south," I called. "The house is about two miles from here. You can't miss it."

After a short time, I sighed. "What's wrong?" Eragon asked.

I shook my head quickly. "Nothing. It's just so beautiful up here. It's so free."

He nodded. "I had the same reaction the first time I flew with Saphira. I didn't want to come back down to earth again."

I chuckled mockingly under my breath. "I can understand that," I muttered softly.

We flew in silence the rest of the way to the house. Eragon slipped out of the saddle when she landed, then turned to look at me. "Jump down. I'll catch you."

I slid out of the saddle, falling quickly towards the ground. Eragon caught me in a classic cheerleading cradle, one arm under my back and the other under my knees. I looked up at him, a thank you on my lips, and the words died in my throat. His eyes met mine, and for a second the world stood still. He quickly set me on my feet, clearing his throat almost nervously. "Thanks for catching me," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

His lips quirked in a small smile. "You're welcome."

I started towards the barn to see if Shadow had made it back yet. After a second, I heard soft footsteps and muffled thumps follow me. Walking into the barn, with the dust in the air and the smell of fresh hay all around me, I felt my tension ease slightly. I always felt better being near my horses. I smiled softly. "Hey, babies. You guys want to go out on the ranch?"

I opened all the stalls, and was soon surrounded by soft noses and searching nuzzles. A small giggle escaped me. "You just want treats, don't you? I'll get you guys some carrots."

I walked over to one of the walls, where I kept a refrigerator filled with treats for the horses. I grabbed a bag of big carrots and turned back towards the herd. "Come and get 'em, guys."

They quickly surrounded me, and the bag was soon empty. I looked for Shadow, but he must have been still somewhere in the woods. That worried me a little, because I would have thought that he would have been back to the barn by now. A few slaps sent the stragglers out to pasture. Leaning against the doorframe, I stared towards the forest. A small frown was still wrinkling my forehead when Eragon walked over to me. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

I glanced at him quickly before turning back to the door. I sighed. "It's Shadow. He still hasn't come back to the barn. I'm just kind of worried about him. He was my first horse and I've had him for a long time."

"Would you like me to call him for you?" he asked.

I turned to him. "Would you? It would make me feel better if I knew he was safe."

He turned towards the forest and called for Shadow. I could feel the power that infused his words, and shivered. A small time passed, and Shadow emerged from the edge of the wood. A jubilant cry escaped my lips, and I ran forward to meet him. I looped my arms around his neck in a hug. Then I pulled back and looked him in the eyes sternly. "Don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear me? You scared me half to death!"

A soft snort was my only reply. "All right, I forgive you. Just don't scare me like that again." With that, I led him towards the barn. Eragon grinned at me. "You really love that horse don't you?"

I shrugged. "They're all my babies, but Shadow will always be special to me. He's been mine for a long time, and he helped me through some rough patches. I'll just get his tack put up and give him a rubdown and we'll go to the house, ok?"

Shadow seemed glad to be home, nuzzling me when I got his saddle off. I could understand the feeling. I brushed his mane one last time, then led Eragon back to the house. I left my riding boots on the back porch, telling Eragon to do the same. "I always leave my shoes on the back porch so that I don't track mud and grass in to the house."

"Smart idea," Eragon commented.

Once I reached the kitchen, I moved to the bay window in the breakfast nook and threw the panes wide. "Over here Saphira! The window's open!"

Quickly her head snaked in through the window, inquisitiveness sparkling in her eyes. "If you're hungry, there are usually some deer in the woods. You can eat your fill, just make sure you aren't seen. I don't have any close neighbors, but there are some major roads within about 25 miles of here, so just be careful."

_I will little one. I think one or two of those deer sound very good right now. I will return later. Behave, you two._

"What—" "Saphira—" Eragon and I looked at each other, laughing at our mutual inarticulateness as Saphira took to the sky. Turning to the refrigerator I asked, "Are you hungry? I have some food that might fit your tastes, if you'd like something to eat."

"No, thank you. I ate just before . . . all of this."

I stilled, hands coming to rest on the counter before me. What was 'all of this'? What had happened to bring him and Saphira from their world to mine? "I think we need to talk about that. Come sit with me."

Leading him to the table, I said, "Why don't you tell me what happened to you first."

"Alright." He sighed, sitting down across from me. "I was camping with Saphira on my way back from a scouting mission. I thought I saw something in the woods a ways off, and went after it to see what it was. I came to a small creek and went to jump it. I landed on a rock, slipped, and fell backwards, hitting my head on something. I blacked out and woke up here with you kneeling beside me."

"Hmm. Well, I was riding Shadow in the woods when I heard this huge explosion. He reared and threw me, and then ran off. I hiked over to where I had heard the explosion come from, and found you. You were lying in a blackened ring about 20 feet across, kind of like the one Saphira's egg appeared in. You know the rest."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, pondering what had been said. I asked, "Do you want to see the books? The ones about your world?"

"Sure."

I hesitated. "Wait a minute. How similar is your alphabet to mine? Twenty-six letters? The grammar is pretty much the same."

"Yeah. If you could just show me the letters you use then I'm sure I could work with that."

"Fine with me." I grabbed a pad of paper and a pen out of the kitchen and wrote the alphabet on the top sheet. As I handed it to him, our fingers brushed, and a shock jumped between our hands. I jerked back quickly. "These are all the letters from A-Z. Let me go grab those books off of my shelf for you. I'll be right back."

I ran upstairs to my room, pausing for a minute once the door swung closed behind me. What was wrong with me? Why was I reacting this way to him? I took a deep breath to compose myself, grabbed the books off my nightstand along with one for me to read, and started back downstairs. As I padded down the stairs, I paused at the bottom of the steps and looked over into the kitchen. Eragon sat there with his face turned toward the windows looking at the setting sun. I stood there for a few moments just watching him, not wanting to disturb whatever peace had descended upon him. Slowly he turned to face me. His eyes flickered down to the books in my hands, then back up to my face. "Are those them?"

I started, nodding, and moved to the couches in the living room, beckoning him to follow. I settled into one of the recliners as he settled onto the couch next to my chair. I tucked my feet under me and handed Eragon the books. "If you have any questions just ask; I'll be sitting right here reading. OK?"

Eragon nodded, then leaned back, opened the first book, and started to read.

Several hours passed quietly, only broken by Saphira's return after a while. She settled down alongside the house, quickly falling into slumber. At around 10:30 I closed my book. Eragon had worked his way through the first two books and was halfway through the third. As I had read, I couldn't help but watch him over the edge of my book, seeing him so absorbed in the stories of his life. Suddenly a yawn overtook me and I stood and stretched. "I'm going to go to bed. How about I show you where you can sleep ok?" I handed him a bookmark and he marked his place carefully, then stood to follow me. I led him up the stairs to the room adjacent to mine. "You can sleep in here. If you need anything I'm right next door."

As I turned to leave, Eragon stopped me with a hand on my arm. I looked up at him curiously. He opened his mouth several times before saying, "I just wanted to thank you for doing so much for me." A flush colored my cheeks, and I shrugged. "It was the right thing to do. I'm sure you would have done the same for me had the tables been turned. Good night, Eragon."

"Good night, Rose. Sleep well."

With that, I slipped into my room. I quickly changed into a tank and sleep shorts and climbed into bed. I prayed I wouldn't have any nightmares with him right next door. With a small sigh, I slipped into that dark sea of slumber.

A/N: Again, I am so sorry for the wait guys. My schedule has been hellish for the past few months. I'll try and keep the interval between posts as short as possible, but I can't make any guarantees. Until next time, readers.

-Max

(I am a girl so please don't call me a guy. )


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! As promised, I tried to get this chapter up faster. This time you get to take a peek into Eragon's head and see what's going through his mind. Enjoy!**

**Saphira: Max, you're forgetting something.**

**Max: NOOO! Don't make me!**

**Saphira: Just do it. *Gives lilmissykrazee the stink-eye* Don't make me come over there.**

**Max: Fine. I don't own Eragon or Saphira or any of it. I do own Rose and the plot of this story, but that's it. *grumbles to self* Happy now, Saphira?**

**Saphira: *smugly* Yes.**

**Anyway, happy reading.**

**Eragon POV**

A hand lightly shook my shoulder, and I leapt to my feet and to my senses. I flew across the clearing and whipped my sword out of its scabbard to point at the person. As I took in the details of the scene, I realized that she was as beautiful as Arya, but in a more earthly way. Her deep brown hair was tied back in a braid that lay coiled over her shoulder, and her light grey eyes were wide with shock, her body still kneeling where she had woken me. There were dark circles under her eyes, though, almost like bruises, and her eyes held the haunted look of someone who has seen things that no person should ever have to see. I started throwing questions at her in rapid succession. "Where am I? What happened? Who are you?"

"One thing at a time." She never took her eyes off of the blade in my hand. "I'm Rose. You're on my farm in Montana. As for what happened, I have no idea. I was riding my horse when there was this explosion. I came this way to see what it was, and I found you." She got an odd look on her face, then said, "Hold up your hands, palm out."

I saw no harm in the action and held up first one palm, then the other. "It can't be," she breathed. "Shadeslayer? Eragon?"

I darted forward to touch the tip of my sword to her throat. "How do you know my name?" I knew my face might be frightening her, but at the moment I didn't care. Her throat moved as she swallowed hard, glancing down at the blade millimeters from her throat. She said, "There's a series of books in my world, based on you and Saphira and all of your adventures. I never thought they were real, though, until now . . ."

She seemed like she was telling the truth, but I couldn't be sure. "How do I know I can trust you? You could be lying." I reached out my mind towards hers, and searched her memories as she lowered her shields. There were some she kept hidden from me, but I sensed they were of a distinctly personal nature, and were very painful, so I left them alone. "I would never harm you. It's just me out here. I don't even go into town. Everything is delivered." Her mind corroborated what she said, and I withdrew, satisfied. I stepped back and sheathed my sword. She relaxed fractionally, though she stayed on her knees. "Alright. You seem honest enough, though you know the ancient language, which is odd. But I want you to swear that you will never betray me or Saphira."

She sighed, then quickly gave her oath. Her knowledge of the ancient language was puzzling, but if there truly were books about Alagaesia, then it could be easily explained. Saphira suddenly yawned and stretched. Then she seemed to remember what had happened, as she jumped up, ready for a fight. I called to her. "It's alright Saphira. She's a friend." _I don't know what happened, but she's a friend._

_I trust your judgment little one. If you say she's a friend then she is, but I will form my own opinions of her._

Saphira stalked over to Rose, curiously sniffing at her clothing. Rose surprised me yet again when she gave the traditional elven greeting to Saphira. Saphira opened her mind to both of us. _Well met indeed, little one. Very strange things have happened today. Perhaps we can untangle this mess with your help._ I knew the power Saphira's mind held, so I sympathized when I heard the slight tremor in Rose's voice. She promised to do what she could to help us. Saphira startled me slightly with her invitation for Rose to call her by Saphira, but I took it in stride.

_Eragon? I like this one. Don't mess it up._

_Saphira! You know me better than that!_

_Just be careful with her. She's more fragile than she seems._

_What do you mean she's "more fragile than she seems"?_

_Exactly that. You will have to find out for yourself._

While we were talking, Rose seemed to remember something. "I'm neglecting you! You two are my guests! Let's head toward the house and I'll get you settled in. I'm afraid you will have to fly, because the trees are too close together to allow you to walk Saphira. Would you permit me to fly with you and show you the way?"

I smiled. "Of course. You can sit in front of me so you don't fall."

Saphira crouched low, and I gave Rose a boost into the saddle then climbed up behind her. She shifted slightly, like she was trying to get comfortable, but I didn't comment on it. Her small frame fit neatly against my own, distracting me for a slight moment. Saphira then launched herself into the air. As she gained altitude and speed, Rose let out a wild yell of sheer happiness. Saphira flew in a loop, reversing land and sky, and I chuckled at Rose's antics. She turned and grinned at me, and I was momentarily dumbstruck at the sheer beauty of it before I returned it with a smile of my own. She seemed dazed for a moment before shaking her head and turning to Saphira. "Head south. The house is about two miles from here. You can't miss it."

I hadn't realized she owned such a large piece of land. I mused over that for a little bit until I heard her sigh. "What's wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's just so beautiful up here. It's so free."

I nodded my head, remembering my first time really flying with Saphira. "I had the same reaction the first time I flew with Saphira. I didn't want to come back down to earth again."

A mocking laugh escaped her. "I can understand that," she muttered. I looked at her strangely for a moment, wondering what she meant by that and if this was part of what Saphira had been talking about.

Silence dominated the rest of the flight back to the house. Soon I could see a graceful two-story house rising out of a large clearing in front of us, and Saphira drifted to a soft landing. I slid out of the saddle and looked back up at Rose. I called out to her. "Jump down. I'll catch you."

She smiled and slid out of the saddle. She fell quickly into the cradle of my arms. Her head turned towards me, our eyes met, and for a second there was nothing in the world but me and her. A strange feeling washed over me, almost like I wanted to kiss her. I set her down quickly before I could act on the impulse and cleared my throat nervously. "Thanks for catching me," she said. A small smile quirked my lips. "You're welcome."

She turned and started toward the barn where I could hear the soft sounds of horses. After a moment, I started after her with Saphira following close behind. Rose was surrounded by horses, and she was giving them carrots. I smiled as I watched her interact with them, seeing the true love she held for her horses. After she sent the last few remaining horses out the door, she leant on the frame with a small frown on her face. I didn't like that frown, and had this urge to do whatever I could to take it away and make it better. "What's wrong?" I asked.

A small sigh escaped her. "It's Shadow. He still hasn't come back to the barn. I'm just kind of worried about him. He was my first horse and I've had him for a long time."

She looked so despondent that I would have done anything in that moment to make her smile, even if I didn't know why yet. "Would you like me to call him for you?"

The look of hope on her face as she turned to me strengthened my resolve as she asked, "Would you? It would make me feel better if I knew he was safe."

I turned to face the open door and let the power infuse my voice as I called for Shadow. Within moments he appeared at the edge of the woods. Rose cried out in joy as she ran forward to meet him. Their reunion was heartwarming, and I could see all the love she held for Shadow, and his for her, shining in their eyes. I chuckled lightly to myself as she admonished him for scaring her, and followed them back into the barn. "You really love that horse don't you?" I asked, grinning at her.

She shrugged. "They're all my babies, but Shadow will always be special to me. He's been mine for a long time, and he helped me through some rough patches. I'll just get his tack put up and give him a rubdown and we'll go up to the house, ok?"

After she settled him in his stall and gave him a rubdown, she led us up to the house. I was curious when she left her boots on the porch, but then she explained that it was to keep from tracking dirt into the house. "Smart idea," I commented.

She led me to the kitchen, where she opened a window so that Saphira could stick her head in. Curiosity sparkled in Saphira's eyes as she took in where we were to stay for however long we were in this world. Rose told Saphira that there were hunting opportunities on the property, but warned her to be careful.

_I will little one. I think one or two of those deer sound very good right now. I will return later. Behave, you two._

"What—" "Saphira—" Rose and I looked at each other and just laughed at our false starts. She turned towards the body of the kitchen and asked me, "Are you hungry? I have some food that might fit your tastes, if you'd like something to eat."

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I ate just before . . . all of this."

She went very still then, hands resting on the counter in front of her. She seemed to be contemplating something. "I think we need to talk about that," she said. "Come sit with me."

She led me to a small table in a room off of the main kitchen, and said, "Why don't you tell me what happened to you first?"

"Alright," I said as I sat down across from her. "I was camping with Saphira on my way back from a scouting mission. I thought I saw something in the woods a ways off, and went after it to see what it was. I came to a small creek and went to jump it. I landed on a rock, slipped, and fell backwards, hitting my head on something. I blacked out and woke up here with you kneeling beside me."

She hummed quietly, then told her side of the story. "Well, I was riding Shadow in the woods when I heard this huge explosion. He reared and threw me, and then ran off. I hiked over to where I had heard the explosion come from, and found you. You were lying in a blackened ring about 20 feet across, kind of like the one Saphira's egg appeared in. You know the rest."

We sat quietly for a while, contemplating the situation. At length, she asked, "Do you want to see the books? The ones about your world?"

"Sure," I said. I was eager to see just how accurate the stories about Saphira and me were. She hesitated, then asked, "Wait a minute. How similar is your alphabet to mine? Twenty-six letters? The grammar is pretty much the same."

"Yeah. If you could just show me the letters you use them I'm sure I can work with that."

"Fine with me," she said. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pad of paper and scribbled the alphabet on the top piece. As she handed it to me, our fingers brushed for the slightest instant, and a current ran from her hand to mine. She jerked her hand back quickly, and said, "These are all the letters from A-Z. Let me go grab those books off of my shelf for you. I'll be right back."

With that she dashed up the stairs. I heard a door close from the second floor, and leaned my head into my hands with a groan. What was happening between us? Why was I feeling this way about a woman I had only just met? I scrubbed my face with my hands and sat up with a sigh. I looked at the paper she had given me and quickly memorized the alphabet on it. Then I leaned my head back against the wall and stared out the window at the sunset. Several minutes later, I heard soft steps padding down the stairs. They stopped before they reached the kitchen, and I slowly turned my head towards Rose. She stood at the bottom of the steps holding four books in her hands. "Are those them?" I asked.

She jumped slightly and nodded. She moved towards another room with several large cushiony chairs and beckoned me to follow her. As she sat down in one of the chairs, she handed me three of the books, and tucked her feet under her. "If you have any questions, just ask; I'll be right here reading, OK?"

I nodded, then settled back into the cushions, opened the first book, and started to read. As I got deeper into the book, I was stunned by how accurate the stories were. Even the smallest pieces of the story were told in astonishing detail. Halfway through the second book, I looked up at Rose. I just sat there watching her for a minute or two, seeing her reactions to the book she was reading. Seeing how her face would scrunch up with suppressed laughter at parts and how she would blink back tears at others. She got completely involved in that other world. I smiled a little, then went back to reading.

Saphira came back a couple hours later and settled down alongside the house to sleep. Then about an hour after that, Rose closed her book. I was halfway through the third book in the series about Alagaesia, and still marveling at the accuracy. She yawned and uncurled herself from the chair to stretch. "I'm going to go to bed. How about I show you where you can sleep ok?" She handed me a piece of paper to mark my place, and I set the book down on the table and followed her. She led me up the stairs to a modestly sized room painted in shades of blue. She gestured around her, saying, "You can sleep in here. If you need anything I'm right next door."

She turned to leave, but I stopped her with a hand on her arm. She looked up at me, curiosity shining in her eyes. I opened and closed my mouth several times, trying to marshal my thoughts into some coherent order. Finally, I said, "I just wanted to thank you for doing so much for me."

A delicate pink flush colored her cheeks, and she shrugged as she brushed off my thanks. "It was the right thing to do. I'm sure you would have done the same for me had the tables been turned. Good night, Eragon."

"Good night, Rose. Sleep well."

She slipped quietly from the room, and I sighed. Today had been exhausting, and things still whispered in my ears. What had happened to send Saphira and me from our world to hers? Was it magic? Some freak accident?

But all the more puzzling was my connection to Rose. What was happening to me? I had never had this kind of instant connection to anyone, not even Arya, who I thought I loved.

I shook my head, trying to clear these confusing thoughts from my mind. Maybe things would be clearer in the morning after some sleep. I slid into the bed and made myself comfortable, and with one final sigh, slipped into sleep.

I shot upright, breathing hard like I had just run a race against Blodhgarm or one of the other elves. And lost. What had woken me from my slumber? I felt a sudden urge to check on Rose, even though there was no danger I could detect. I padded into the hallway, and stopped at Rose's door. Putting my ear I heard whimpers coming from inside the room, and quietly opened the door.

The coverlet was on the floor, and the sheets twisted around her legs. She mumbled between whimpers, inaudible words and pleas. But as I moved into the room, her cries gain volume, and I could make out what she was saying.

"No…. no…. Oh, God please no…"

"No" what? What was she talking about? What horrors haunted her dreams to turn them into nightmares? I leaned over and shook her shoulder, trying to wake her up. "Rose, Rose! Wake up! Wake up, Rose!"

Still she dreamt. I sat on the edge of the bed, shaking her harder. "Rose, you have to wake up!"

Nothing worked. She even shied away from my touch, as if it was a part of the nightmare. Still, I had to keep trying. I shook her again, and finally she shot up with a scream, still locked in the terror. "Rose!" I yelled, "It's just a dream! It's me, Eragon!" That seemed to shake her from her sleep. She looked over at me, and burst out in tears. I reached over and pulled her into my arms. She curled into a ball in my lap, still crying. I gently tucked her head into my shoulder and slowly rocked back and forth, shushing her. "It's ok, Rose. It's just a dream. It's just a dream."

Slowly, her sobs quieted. She sat up, wiping at her eyes and sniffling. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up or anything."

I shrugged. "It's fine, Rose. I don't mind. I woke up, and had this urge to come check on you, and I'm glad I did. Do you want to talk about it?"

She looked me square in the eye and said, "It's a long story, and it's not a pretty one. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"I'm sure."

She sighed, and crawled out of my lap. She sat up against the head of the bed, and patted the space next to her. "You might as well make yourself comfortable. We'll be here for a while."

I scooted up next to her, and tucked her into my side. She wiggled a little to get comfortable, then began her tale.

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry for the huge gaps between chapters. Combine a crazy class schedule with writer's block and you get the idea…. **

**Anyway, I'm waffling between several different possibilities on where to take the story from here, and I want your opinion.**

**Rose is a shapeshifter, and her family was killed by people who found out what they were, and the same people are hunting Rose. (probably she would be a werewolf)**

**Rose is completely human. Her family was killed in a shooting, and the gunmen are still looking for her. (Or something along those lines.)**

**At this point, I am favoring the shapeshifter option, but let me know what you guys think. Whichever option receives the most votes will be how the story unfolds.**

**Until next time!**

**-Max**


	4. Please Read!

The administrators of are as of June 4th going to be taking down Fics that have lemons or have extreme violence. Now I don't know about you but I think thats stupid. There are many wonderful fics that only have one or two lemons in them yet the plot itself is awesome! You can't just take down a 100,000+ word fic just because it has a lemon in a chapter that is only 1000 words long. Now I urge you all to read the petition below, sign it, and repost this to your own fics. Hopefully if we make enough noise everything will return to normal. Thank you.

Greetings to the fine folk that moderate our site.

Myself, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that I believe violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in its original form, this is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be looseing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

Psudocode_Samurai

Rocketman1728

dracohalo117

VFSNAKE

Agato the Venom Host

Jay Frost

SamCrow

Blood Brandy

Dusk666

Hisea Ori

The Dark Graven

BlackRevenant

Lord Orion Salazar Black

Sakusha Saelbu

Horocrux

socras01

Kumo no Makoto

Biskoff

Korraganitar the NightShadow

NightInk

Lazruth

ragnrock kyuubi

SpiritWriterXXX

Ace6151

FleeingReality

Harufu

Exiled crow

Slifer1988

Dee Laynter

Angeldoctor

Final Black Getsuga

ZamielRaizunto

Fenris187

blood enraged

arashiXnoXkami

Masane Amaha's King

Blueexorist

Nero Angelo Sparda

Uzunaru999

The Next Muse

Yumiko21

Asmileadaykeepmeway

Youwillnotstopme

Firewillburn

917brat

Smokkis

Sharkteeth

DAPC

Kyuubi16

bunji the wolf

EternalKnight219

Shi Kami The Murderous Prodigy

DeathNoteMaker

Nostalgic Remedy

Paco the Taco Maker

Slayer of Destiny

NESSAANCALIME6913

book reader-lover of 3000

cathy29jes

.Goldsworthy

Emo Gril

01katie

lightbabe

mangaevil101

FreezingFire81

FreezingFire8

edger2deadly

Amelia Skittles

Sephrenia1

dolhpin33

BeautyInBlackandGrey

If you could do what some other authors have done and post this petition as a temporary new chapter on some of your stories to help spreed the word? It would help a lot it's how I found out about this.

This is a site link for a petition to stop fanfic from removing the stories we love because a few people who like to cause trouble keep trying to ruin it for all of us. Please just remove the spaces when you copy it to your address bar and it should take you to the site. It already had over 6,000 names. Please sign it and help us keep this site the way we love it.

: / www . change petitions / fanfiction - net - stop - the - destruction - of - fanfiction - net


End file.
